Coin retainer for automobiles



y 1957 B. J. JENKINS 2,800,360

COIN RETAINER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 14, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 E E: E I

k Bxfcfiankins ATTORNEYS July 23, 1957 B. J. JENKINS COIN RETAINER FOR AUTOMOBILES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1954 INVENTQR Bcfe n7: 2 n 5 ATTORNEYS mw v ki Na lm lmm y 1957 B. J. JENKINS 2,800,360

COIN RETAINER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 14, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fa i M /1- -55; I 3+! 0 0 6 //a x ma Z H [PA INVENTOR 3'4 /.?0 i BJJn/czna ATTORNEYS COIN RETAINER FOR AUTOMOBILES Billy J. Jenkins, Birmingham, Ala. Application July 14, 1954, Serial No. 443,203

1 Claim. (Cl. 296-37) This invention appertains to improvements in coin retainers or banks, and particularly a coin retainer for attachment to an automobile.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a coin retainer that is attachable to the dash board of an automobile in such a manner as to be locked in a concealed position within the dash board, and to be movable from such concealed position to a position outwardly of the dash board for inserting or removing coins therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for locking the coin retainer in such concealed position and to provide means electrically connected to the ignition circuit of the automobile for releasing the locking means to permit withdrawal of the retainer from its concealed position for the removal of coins.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and compact coin retainer that can be mounted in the dash board in the opening provided therein conventionally for an ash receptacle, and to provide electromagnetically controlled latch means for locking the coin retainer in a closed position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a change compartment or coin retainer which retains coins of various denominations in stacked arrangement for convenient removal from the change compartment or coin retainer, and to provide latch means for locking the coin retainer or change compartment in a concealed position interiorly of the dash board and to provide means responsive to the closing of the ignition circuit for releasing said locking means upon the actuation of a push button switch that is either mounted on the dash board adjacent to either the coin retainer or change compartment or is mounted directly on such retainer or compartment.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiments of which are set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a dash board, showing a coin retainer constructed and mounted in the dash board in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the coin retainer or change compartment;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of a modified form of this invention;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section of a modified form of this invention;

"nited States Patent Patented July 23, 1957 ice Figure 10 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of another form of this invention; and

Figure 11 is a longitudinal side elevational view of a further form of this invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings and initially to Figures 1-7, the numeral 10 designates the dash board of an automobile which is provided with an opening 12, such as is conventionally provided for accommodating an ash tray.

A housing 14 is mounted on the dash board interiorly thereof by means of mounting flanges 16 formed laterally on the walls of the housing at the open back end thereof. The housing includes a bottom wall 18, a top wall 20, and opposing side walls 22 and 24, and a front wall 26, with the back of the housing being open to slidably receive a coin retainer or change compartment 28.

As shown more particularly in Figures 3 and 4, the coin retainer includes a rectangular block 30 which has laterally extending longitudinally spaced rectangular slots 32 formed in its bottom wall 35. A partly circular rib 37 is carried by each bottom wall 35 and holds the lowermost coin against lateral sliding. The slots 32 are of a width to receive the tip of a finger and extend through one of the side walls of the block. The block is formed with vertically disposed openings or circular compartments 34 that extend through the top wall thereof and communicate with the slots 32. The compartments 34 are of various diameters to accommodate coins of various denominations. The compartments communicate with the slots 32 and the opening edges 36 and 38 of the slots are disposed inwardly of the opposing side portions of the compartments so that stops 40 and 42 are provided at the lower end of each of the compartments 34 to arrest the gravitation of the coins as they are dropped in stacked fashion in the various openings or compartments 34. The portion of the block above the stops 40 and 42 is cut away in lateral communication with the slots 32 to complement the slots 32 and increase the width thereof above the stops for the lateral withdrawal of coins therethrough. A vertical slot 39 communicates with each compartment 34 and forms a window so that the number of coins in each compartment can be readily determined.

Thus, the coins are dropped in stacked fashion into the compartments or openings 34 and are held therein against gravitational movement therefrom by the stops 40 and 42. The coins are withdrawn laterally from the block 30 by engaging the underside of a coin with the tip of a finger, lifting the lower coin slightly over rib 37 and moving the coin through one of the slots 32, that, due

to the side extensions above stops 40 and 42, are of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the particular coin to slidably receive the coin as it is Withdrawn from its stack and moved laterally of the block. 7

As shown in Figure 2, the block 30 is slidably disposed on the bottom wall 18 of the housing 14 and its opposing side Walls 44 and 46 are spaced inwardly from the side walls 22 and 24 of the housing. Guides 48 and 50 are afiixed to the inner surfaces of the side walls 22 and 24 and engage the side walls 44 and 46 of the block to guide the block in a rectilinear path of movement into and out of the housing. The movement of the block outwardly from the housing is limited by a stop means carried by the inner end 52 of the block. The stop means includes a pair of arms 54 and 56 that project forwardly from the sides of the block and are disposed parallel. The arms constitute prolongations of the sides of the block and are formed at their outer ends with laterally projecting stop flanges 58 and 60 that have their free ends terminated in adjacency to the inner surfaces of the side walls 22 and 24 of the housing. The flanges 58 and 60 are adapted to abut the lateral portions of the guides 48 and 50 to arrest the outward sliding movement of the block from the housing. In this respect, it will be noted that the distance between the lateral portions of the guides 48 and 50 and the outer surface of the dash board 10 is slightly less than the length of the arms '54 and 56 so that when the stop flanges .58 and 60 abut the lateral portions .of the guides the innermost opening or coin compartment 34' is positioned outwardly of the dash board for easy accessibility to the coins housed therein.

A cover plate 62 is suitably affixed to the rear wall of the-block .and the inwardly curved edges thereof overhang the edges of the front wall to engage the dash board 10, as shown in Figure 2, when the block is in its innermost position in the housing. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the block is completely concealed within the dash board with only the cover plate 62 being visible. The cover plate may be suitably designed to blend in with the design of the dash board and the appointments of the automobile and to thereby more eifectively conceal the presence of the coin retainer within the dash board. The handle 64 is provided on the exterior of the cover plate to provide a convenient means for withdrawing the block from the housing.

As shown in Figure 3, the block 28 has a forwardly projecting ledge 66 formed on the upper edge of the front wall thereof and joined to the upper edges of the arms 54 and 56. The ledge is formed with a vertical keeper opening 68 to receive a bolt or latch 78. The bolt 70 is formed with a bevelled upper end 72. An angular slot 74 is formed in the front Wall of the bolt 70 below the upper end 72 to securely receive the angular end 76 of a flat spring 78 that is riveted, as at 80, to the front wall 26 of the housing. The spring 78 is tensioned by being bent horizontally and having its outer angular end anchored in the slot 74 and biases the slot 70 vertically upward into the keeper opening 68.

An electromagnetic solenoid coil 82 is mounted by fasteners 84 on the bottom wall 18 of the housing and bolt 70 is formed on the upper end of core 71. When the coil 82 is energized, in a manner to be described, the bolt 70 is drawn down by the magnetism of the coil and against the urgement of the spring 78 so that the bolt is retracted from the keeper opening 68 and the block is free to be slidably withdrawn from the housing to an open or outer position, shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the coil 82 is energized by a circuit 86 within which a push button switch 88 is interposed and is mounted on the dash board alongside of the cover plate 62 as shown in Figure 1. The circuit 86 is connected through the ignition circuit 90 to the battery of an automobile. Thus, when the ignition key 182 is turned,

the circuit 86 is placed in potential and, when the push button 88 is pushed, the circuit is closed and the coil is energized to retract the bolt 70 and to permit the withdrawal of the block from the housing.

A further form of this invention is shown in Figure 8 wherein the block 104 is square, as opposed to a rectangular shape of the block 28, and the openings 34' are arranged in side by side fashion. The block 104 is formed with a longitudinally extending bore 106 that receives the lead lines 108 from the push button switch 110 that is mounted directly on the cover plate 62.

In Figure 9 a block 112, which is constructed identically to the block 104 but is otherwise similar to the arrangement of the block 28, is shown. However, to dispense with any spring means such as the spring 78 for retaining the bolt or looking latch in engagement with the block, the coil 114 is mounted on the top wall 116 of the housing 118 and the latch or bolt 120 depends from the coil. The

block 112 is formed at its lower end with a forwardly extending ledge 122 that is provided with a keeper 124 to receive the lower free end of the bolt. Thus, when the .coil 114 is energized, the bolt 120 is drawn upwardly to free the block 112 and when the coil is de-energized the 4 bolt 120 is gravity driven into engagement with the keeper 124, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9.

In Figure 10 a further form of this invention is illustrated, wherein a receptacle 126 is pivotally mounted for movement inwardly and outwardly of the dash board 128. The receptacle 126 is open at the top and is hingedly mounted in a housing 130 which is fixed relative to the dash board 128. The housing 130 includes a bottom wall 132 and a front wall 134 with side walls being provided for rigidifying the bottom and front walls 132 and 134, and mounting the housing on the dash board. The bottom wall is bifurcated at its rearward end to pivotally receive the receptacle 126 between the bifurcations thereof. Forwardly of the bifurcations the bottom wall is formed with hinge barrels 138 that support the barrels 149 formed on the bottom wall of the receptacle to pivotally mount the receptacle on the housing. The receptacle 126 is formed at the upper end of its front wall 142 with an upstanding stop 144 that is adapted to abut the dash board above the opening 146 therein. A keeper 148 projects forwardly of the block at the top wall and is apertured to receive the locking latch or bolt 150 that is provided with a spring means 152 in a manner identical to the spring arrangement for the bolt 70 in Figure 3. The coil 154 is mounted on a bracket 156 that is carried by the wall 134 of the houing and is energized in a manner identical to that shown in Figure 3 for the coil 82. A leaf spring 158 is vertically disposed in the housing at the rear wall 134 thereof and is secured by a fastener 169 thereto. The upper end of the spring 158 is free and is adapted to urge the block to an outer position, as shown in dotted lines of Figure 10, when the coil 154 is energized to retract the bolt 150 from engagement with the keeper 148.

In Figure 11, another embodiment of this invention is shown wherein a spring return means 162 is provided for automatically returning the block 28 to a closed and concealed position within the housing 20. The spring 162 is fixed at one end to front wall 163 of housing 20 and is fixed as at 164 to the inner end of block 28. A guide rod 164 is fixed to front wall 163 and loosely engages in an opening 165 formed in block 28. Thus, after a coin is inserted or removed from one of the openings in block 28, the handle 64 of the cover plate 62 may be released and the spring 162 automatically returns the block 28 to its closed position within the housing 20 wherein the keeper of the block is engaged by the bolt 70 to retain it in closed position.

In this respect, as shown in Figure 3, the upper bevelled end 72 of the bolt 70 is adapted to earn under the leading edge of the keeper 68 when the block 28 is returned to the closed position either manually or automatically under the urgement of the spring 162.

It can thus be seen that when the coin retainer is in its closed position it is securely retained in such position against accidental or stealthful withdrawal thereof from its housing and only by turning the ignition key 102 can the block be withdrawn. from the housing for removing the coins from the openings or compartments therein. The ignition key 182 closes the circuit for the coil which is energized from the battery of the automobile by pushing the push button switch 88 so that the block may either be manually withdrawn or, as shown in Figure 10, may be automatically urged to an outer position for convenient accessibility to the compartments therein.

The coin retainer will retain a number of coins in a safe manner within an automobile and is located therein in a position for convenient accessibility by the driver of the automobile. Such safe retention of the coins obviates locking of the automobile, when it is left unattended, .since only by using the ignition key can access to the coins be obtained. The coins are further protected from deliberate attempts to steal them due to the manner of placement of the retainer, which, when closed, is completely concealed from view and the cover plates resemble the outer wall of an ash tray. Such camouflage will eifectively conceal the presence of the coin holder or retainer in the dash board.

While the preferred forms of this inventions have been disclosed herein, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, such is by Way of example only and other forms may be realized as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A coin retainer for an automobile comprising a member having a plurality of spaced parallel sockets formed therein for retaining coins, said sockets having a cylindrical cross-section and having a diameter to accommodate coins of different diameters, a housing for said member formed on the dash board of an automobile and projecting inwardly thereof, said member being movable from the housing to a point exterior of the dash board, and electromagnetically controlled means locking said member in closed position in the housing, said last means including a magnetic coil on said housing, a plunger actuated by said coil and retracted from a position lockingly engaging the member by energization of said coil, said plunger having a notch formed therein, an arcuate leaf spring secured at one end to said housing and having the other end seated in said notch for biasing said plunger into locking engagement with said member, said member being slidably mounted in the housing, and stop means limiting the movement of the member from the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,590,006 Werley June 22, 1926 1,807,033 Hansen May 26, 1931 2,159,061 Visser May 23, 1939 2,467,762 Marshalka Apr. 19, 1949 2,555,716 Todhunter June 5, 1951 2,600,026 Schlabach June 10, 1952 2,624,351 Smith et a1. Jan. 6, 1953 

